Bedtime Stories
by Sivaroobini Lupin-Black
Summary: Baby Zizi can't sleep; Michael tells him a bedtime story.


Disclaimer: The characterisations of Michael, Raphael and Uriel belong to **Moczo**, as seen in her _fabulous_ fic _Manchester Lost_ (and the sequel _Paradise Thwarted_), and I am lovingly borrowing them with her permission. Zizi is her take on Aziraphale, creation of Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. Gabriel is my own character (I roleplay him at LiveJournal; it just happened that he insults Michael almost like the way Jen's does. One can't help it, with Michael being the way he is xD), and Lucifer is mostly mine, but with a little bit of input from Jen/Moczo.

A huge thank-you to Jen and Mysti for betaing!

* * *

**Bedtime Stories**

Night didn't exist yet, not as it would come to be known, but the soft glow of Heaven was muted, a dim amethyst light painting the silver spires of the City. In his room, the Archangel Michael was preparing to rest after a long day. He pulled on a comfortable tunic, twisting around sharply at the sound of a soft knock.

A tiny cherub blinked up at the Warrior, who grinned and bent to ruffle the already tousled golden curls. "And what are you doing out of bed?"

Aziraphael pulled his thumb out of his mouth, adjusting his grip on Snugglebunny. "I couldn't sweep, and Favver said I could ask you for a stowy." He toddled over to the bed before looking at Michael expectantly. Michael smiled, picking him up, and turned to glance at the door. Sure enough, Raphael was leaning against the door, a fond smile on his face.

"I agreed on the condition that you not scare him again, dear. He didn't sleep for a week, you know."

"Oh, come on, he'll be fine. Zizi's a big boy now, aren't you, Zizi?" Michael started tickling the toddler in his arms, who promptly squealed and flailed about, giggling. "Look at you; you're growing so big you'll be carrying your own dad soon! And you'll be a big strong warrior in the Host!"

Aziraphael's eyes lit up at the mention of the Host. "What did you do today?"

Michael got into bed, pulling the blanket up around them and cuddling Aziraphael. "We fought _dragons_! They're these huge monsters, like really big lizards but with bat wings, and they breathe fire."

Aziraphael's blue eyes were huge in his little face. "And you kiwwed them aww?"

"Yes I did," Michael grinned, gesticulating wildly to illustrate his mighty battle. "They had claws as big as _you_, and kept breathing streams of fire at us and swiping at us, and one knocked a whole group of warriors down with his tail!"

"And what did you do, Uncwe Michaew?"

"Why, Zizi, I wouldn't be surprised if they named me Dragonsbane or something after today. You should have seen me! One dragon was going to breathe fire on me but quailed in fear of my awesome wrath, and I took it out with one fell swoop of my sword!"

Aziraphael grinned, proudly displaying a tiny gap in his teeth. "You'we awesome, Uncwe Michaew."

There was a delicate snort from the doorway, but Michael ignored it. "Aww. At least someone appreciates me. You should have seen Uncle Gabriel today." His own grin grew wider as he leapt out of bed and started re-enacting his epic battle. "He was cornered by a huge dragon, tail coiling around him, and he was unarmed and looked so frail. As he prepared to bravely face the dragon, I rescued him just in time, leaping in front of him with my brightly flaming sword and smiting the dragon on its face. And he fell into my arms, all relieved and trembling -"

Someone cleared their throat pointedly. "That's not how it happened and you know it."

"Oh. Hi, Gabe."

"Gab_riel_."

"Gaaaaabriiiieeel."

"I am hardly a damsel in distress. Besides, as I recall, _you_ were the one screaming like a girl while I managed to hold my own against the dragon." Behind Gabriel, Lucifer laughed. Aziraphael started laughing too, trying to picture the Warrior screaming like a girl. "There were only three dragons, by the way, little one, not a whole group as he would have you believe."

Michael pouted. "Did not scream. Or run."

"I've always known about your lack of brain cells, but really, is it necessary to murder grammar and proper sentence construction in such a way?" Gabriel raised an eyebrow. "Or is it simply too daunting a task for you?"

Michael stuck out his tongue too, for good measure.

"How mature," Lucifer said drily. "Pray continue. I find myself highly amused by your _version_ of things."

"Stuff it, Lulu," Michael retorted fondly. "So there was another dragon coming up behind me. I caught hold of one of its wings and swung up onto its back with the help of my own wings, and held on even though it thrashed wildly and tried to breathe fire on me to get me off. But I held on and plunged my sword into the back of its head." He wisely didn't mention the blood. "And as it flailed in agony, I slid down its head and dodged its limbs and borrowed another sword to plunge into the soft spot on its belly. Remember, dragons always have a soft spot on their chests or bellies."

"Wow." Aziraphael had actually stopped sucking his thumb, a look of awe on his face.

"And I wasn't even touched," Michael finished proudly.

"Indeed, dear," Raphael smiled. "You weren't touched at all. And I was merely hallucinating that you were brought in covered in third-degree burns, of course. That was due to a kitchen accident, I'm sure."

"Were you fighting Gabriel's cooking?" Uriel chimed in, violet eyes wide. "He made bread once and it tried to eat me."

"I already apologised for that! And don't you two laugh, you're just as bad," Gabriel had to raise his voice to be heard over Michael's and Lucifer's laughter.

"Yes, but Gabriel, we've never set fire to water." Michael pointed out.

"If the Virtues dared to, they'd ban you from doing anything besides paperwork in the Hall of Being," Lucifer smiled, draping an arm around the Messenger. "But you're the only one who could make sense of that monster you call a filing system anyway. Everyone has his own talent."

"I think Michael was busy exaggerating his exploits of the day?" Gabriel folded his arms. "And Raphael was reminding him of being covered in third-degree burns?"

Michael grinned sheepishly. "Yes, well, there were three dragons, I thought I'd be a sport and let _one_ of them get a small hit in before I smote him. And since when did my bedroom become the living room, anyway?"

Raphael rolled his eyes, smiling, before holding his arms out. "Come on, Zizi, time for bed."

Aziraphael snuggled further into the sheets with Snugglebunny so that only their heads were visible. "Can I sweep here tonight, Favver? Pwease?"

"Aww." Michael smiled, cuddling the toddler as one would a teddy bear. "Can he?" They both turned imploring blue eyes to the Healer.

"Aww, look at them," Gabriel couldn't resist a small smirk. "Same eyes, same IQ levels… actually, I think Aziraphael's IQ may be higher."

Michael stuck out his tongue at the Messenger again.

"Oh, alright," Raphael sighed, coming to the bed to hug his adoptive son and press a kiss to his brow. "Goodnight, Zizi."

"Sleep well, little one," Gabriel called, smiling, before leaving with Lucifer and Uriel to their own rooms. Raphael waved a hand to dim the glow in the room.

"Raphael?"

"Yes, Michael?"

"You were hallucinating the burns."

"Whatever you say, dearheart. Goodnight."


End file.
